minor obsessions : namesake

We've come to another languid summer weekend again. Most likely, the weekend feeling will stretch well into the upcoming week since the 4th of July falls on a Wednesday. Anyone have any fun plans? I just found out my brother will be visiting me in Chicago on the 4th and am beyond excited. I'm very fortunate to have two kick-ass siblings.

Now let's talk about lions.

I love them. Their name is in my blog name. They might be my favorite animal (I am an animal lover and have many favorites, but lions are up at the top). I'm a big cat admirer in general and once took an entire disposable camera full of pictures of the same big cat at a zoo from 100 different angles. I follow a non-profit organization called Panthera that works towards wild cat conservation and runs an amazing project called Lion Guardians. Lions are brave and majestic and the males have great hair. What's not to love?

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

I don't think I have to explain why I'd want this slouchy lion tunic.

Dane gave me this lion Spirithood for my birthday one year and I love it...way too hot to wear right now, but in the winter it definitely gets a few rotations.

This sign in the window of a pet groomer's nearby is just too funny. That kitty looks shocked and angry about his new 'do.

 

Maybe I've been in the city too long and am itching to see a night sky full of stars, but I've been loving all things galactic lately. This Leo constellation necklace is just lovely (although I'd have to get one for Scorpio).

Grrr!

fruit & ricotta panini two ways

So I love to cook. But the weather lately has been...shall we say..."toasty" the past few weeks. Thursday it's supposed to break 100 degrees--I don't care how much you love to cook, the thought of turning on an oven or standing near a burner when it is that hot (no A/C in this abode) is nauseating. So unless you want to eat salads & cereal for every meal the rest of the summer, you're going to need some options. These sandwiches may seem warm & comforting thanks to the melty cheese and toasted bread, but the fruit gives them just enough of a bright punch to taste refreshing.

Yep, I just used "refreshing" to describe a sandwich. I'm a rebel like that.

I made these on my little George Foreman grill, but you can also make them on a stove top like you would a grilled cheese (if you can stand the heat) or just by nuking the ingredients for, say, 15 seconds, and popping the bread in the toaster before assembling. Whatever keeps you cool.

Spicy Pineapple Ricotta Panini
2 slices of Texas Toast
2 1/2 Tbsp ricotta cheese
1/4 cup cubed pineapple (please use fresh & not that weird tasting canned stuff)
sprinkle of crushed red pepper

Spread the ricotta cheese on one slice of bread. Top with a sprinkle of red pepper & pineapple. Put the other piece of bread on top. Grill on a hot panini machine/ George Foreman grill that is liberally coated with cooking spray for 60-90 seconds (depending on how crispy you want your panini--I like mine lightly grilled, so I cooked it for 60 seconds).

Blackberry Jam & Ricotta Panini
2 slices of Texas Toast
2 1/2 Tbsp ricotta cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp blackberry jam
pinch of salt

Spread the ricotta cheese on one slice of bread. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Spread the jam on the other slice of bread, and put the two slices of bread together with the jam/ricotta kissing in the middle. Grill on a hot panini machine/ George Foreman grill that is liberally coated with cooking spray for 60-90 seconds (again, depending on how crispy you want your panini--I like mine lightly grilled, so I cooked it for 60 seconds).

Or mix it up! Use whatever jam or preserves you have on hand. I made a version with pineapple, ricotta, sliced jalapenos, and chicken breast last week. Yum.

Hope you're staying cool!

DIY: travel journal

My big sister earned her Master's Degree in French this spring, and since she loves to travel, I made her a cute travel journal to take with her on her adventures (it even has a pocket to hold ticket stubs and souvenir coasters!).  I wanted it to be small & durable enough to toss into a suitcase, but with some extra pizazz so she can display it in her home once it's full.

She finally got the package in the mail today, so I can post this DIY without ruining the surprise :)

You will need: a simple blank journal, various cutouts to decorate the cover (I used old stamps and pictures clipped from a National Geographic catalog), paint, Mod Podge, an envelope, embroidery floss & needle, scissors (not pictured), pretty paper (not pictured)

Paint the spine & back of the journal, or any areas that will not be covered by the collage. Once dry, paint a thin layer of Mod Podge on the front of the journal and cover with your cutouts. I also put one stamp on the back & a strip on the spine. Allow to dry for at least 15 minutes, then cover the entire journal with Mod Podge. Allow to dry for at least an hour, and use a second layer of Mod Podge if needed (the corners of the cutouts should lie flat). To make a pocket, cut the envelope in half and trace the front pocket onto your pretty paper. Cut out the shape and use the embroidery thread & needle to sew the paper onto the front pocket with big stitches--make sure you don't sew the pocket closed! Then, just use a thin layer of Mod Podge to paste the envelope half onto the inside of the back cover. Place the lower side of the envelope by the spine to prevent your items from spilling out when you pick up the journal.

Et voila! You have a cute customized travel journal to record your adventures. Happy traveling!

let's go antiquing

Yes, "antiquing" does sound like an activity more suited for retirees or hipsters, and I don't consider myself either. Antiques sound old and breakable and fussy. I will watch a qualified person appraise them on television, but they don't always fit my asthetic.  I do, however, appreciate cool things ("probably because you're cool!" is what you're thinking). And I've found that a lot of places one would visit while "antiquing" contain many cool things that are not automatically associated with dust. So on a sunny Saturday, Dane & I took a little cross-town trip to the Randolph Street Market to find cool things. It was a pretty successful window shopping endeavor.

 I would love to get an old wall map of the USSR & hang it like Rachel did! A folksy Russian/Soviet influence seems to be creeping into my style lately...I wonder why...

Retro specs make me feel like a librarian.

Dane even found a great shirt for our move-- "Living in LA--Be Ready!" Apparently this t-shirt company is trying to warn us about LA's rampant violence (how else would you explain a dog owning three guns in his bullet hole-ridden living room?).

It's funny how places like this can make me think, "ooh! I need a colorful yardstick!"

I should have taken a picture of a set of 1960's swimsuits that were by far my favorite items at the market. We had so much fun browsing through all of the vintage clothes, items, knickknacks, memorabilia, handmade jewelry and furniture, that we didn't even mind waiting over 20 minutes for the bus too much.At least there was some shade.

What a perfect summer day!

DIY: arrowhead wire ring

Hello friends! Today I'm going to share with you how I made this simple arrowhead ring. The "arrowhead" I used is actually a spearhead that I made myself in an Archaeology class. The class spent time in the Neolithic Lab making stone tools--higher education at its finest. So, after some time banging two stones together, I emerged with this not-to-shabby spearhead. It could probably pierce something with no fur or feathers (human?) and was able to slice my finger. Don't worry, I dulled the edges for this project.



You will need: heavy scissors or wire cutter, jewelry wire (this was leftover, so I'm not sure what the thickness was--could bend with a little pressure but sturdy enough to hold your bauble in place), arrowhead/spearhead/cool gem or rock

Cut a length of wire about ten inches long. Loosely wrap the wire around the finger of your choice, leaving at least 3 inches on one side and the rest of the wire on the other. With the longer side, wrap around your finger again, weaving in and out of the first loop. Slide the loop off of your finger. Press the stone to the top of the wire and firmly wrap the stone until it feels very secure. I wrapped the wire around as well as wove through already wrapped pieces, and tried to find some natural grooves in the rock that would provide more of a grip. You can also use a dab of glue on the underside for extra hold. Tuck the ends of the wires in so they don't catch on your clothing!

I loved how this ring turned out! After all the wrapping, it ended up fitting a little snug, but I can always wear it on a different finger. Or maybe I just worked so hard, my fingers were swelling. But I'm glad I can display this spearhead I made instead of burying it in a sad little bowl on my vanity.